New Beekeeping and Pollinator Education Center

Foxhound Bee Company is Growing!

Official Grand Opening Is November 22nd from 9-4

We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to build a one-of-a-kind beekeeping store and education space; a true destination for beekeepers and those interested in bees, beekeeping and all polinators. In January of 2025, we purchased a series of warehouses and land where we will expand from our current operation in Hardware Park and into this new space.

Starting in February 2025, we broke ground at the new location at 300 Honey Lane, Irondale Alabama 35210. At this site we are building a 5,000 square foot store and education space, designed to support beekeepers, those who aspire to be beekeepers and the general public.

Education is our passion and our desire through this new facility is to partner with the beekeeping community and share the amazing world of honey bees and pollinators to the public through our outdoor education space and indoor classroom where we will host students of all ages.

Stay tuned as we will share more details on the progress of our building.

RSVP For Our Grand Opening

Grand Opening Schedule - All the Events are Free

Wax Dipping Station – Bring your own boxes or purchase them here to have them wax-dipped on site. Wax dipping is not free, but we’ll be offering special discounted pricing during the event. Live demonstrations all day!

Honey Tasting Booth – Sample local honeys and learn how flavor changes by region and season.

Live Observation Hive – Safely see bees working inside a glass hive.

Kids’ “Color a Hexagon” Wall – Add your artwork to our community bee wall.

Pollinator Garden & Plant Sale – Bee-friendly plants for sale; landscaper available for Q&A; throughout the day.

Raffle Entries – Enter to win prizes benefiting Hives for Heroes.

Merch & Apparel Specials – Grand opening discounts on Foxhound shirts, hoodies, and hats.

Open House – Explore the new retail store, classroom, warehouse, and pavilion at your own pace.

Morning Schedule

9:00 AM Doors Open - coffee and pastries, Entrance / Retail

9:30 AM Kids’ Bee Class - Hands-on kids class where we will grab flowers from our garden and make bookmarks from our pollinator plants. - Classroom

10:00 AM Ask the Beekeeper - Beekeepers and non-beekeepers come and learn a little about bees through a question-and-answer session with a beekeeper. - Pavilion

10:00 AM Warehouse Tour #1 - Come and join a group as we talk about our warehouse and where we have come from to where we are now. - Warehouse

10:30 AM Pollinator Plant Talk - A lot of work has been done to make the pollination space one-of-a-kind. Join the person who helps make it happen and learn about the plants she chose. - Garden

11:00 AM Ribbon Cutting - Join us for a ceremony with the Mayor, city council, and others from the area to officially open our building. - Front of Store

11:20 AM Group Photo - Say Cheese - Front of Store

Midday / Afternoon Schedule

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch Cookout & Social Hour - We will provide food and drinks. Just come, eat, and hangout - Outside / Pavilion / Playgrounds across the street

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Meet and Greet with Yappy Bee Man’s and Beekeeping Challenge. Test your skills as a beekeeper. Bring your smoker and a good attitude; fuel will be provided.

1:30 PM Honey Extraction - Watch a demonstration of how honey is extracted from a frame and gets into a bottle. - Honey Processing Room

2:00 PM Honey Tasting Class - Talk and taste honey from around the world with our owner and retired chef Adam Hickman - Classroom

2:30 PM Warehouse Tour #2 Come and join a group as we talk about our warehouse and where we have come from to where we are now. - Warehouse

3:00 PM Afternoon Kids’ Craft- Get a taste of our kids' classes with a hands-on lesson and make your own candle from pure beeswax - Pavilion

4:00 PM Event Ends

October Construction Update - Our New Hive Is Taking Shape

Our new home on 300 Honey Lane is quickly coming to life as progress continues after we moved in. Inside, the familiar Alabama map fixture from our original shop hangs proudly in its new space. Outside, new plants are being set in place to grow into the landscape, and you'll also find the Foxhound Bee Company sign painted on the building’s facade.

November is coming up, and it's going to be our final touches, soft opening, and gearing up for our grand opening on November 22nd. We hope you can join us to put the bow on this thing and cut the ribbon.

September Construction Update

Major progress is underway both inside and outside our new Beekeeping and Pollinator Education Center. The pavilion is installed, grading, drainage, and landscaping are in progress, the air conditioner is operational, paint is on the walls, classrooms are carpeted, bathroom fixtures and water fountains are in place, and bathroom tiles are installed.

August Construction Update

Finished the exterior stucco with our hexagon wall, drywalled the interior, connected power, tiled the bathrooms, started painting. In september is when we will do our Mural, start landscaping, irrigation, pave the parking lot and more.

July Construction Update – Enclosed and Moving Inside

July has been all about enclosing the new Beekeeping and Pollinator Education Center. With the roof now fully installed, interior framing has progressed quickly. The walls are up, the front and sides have been bricked, and major systems — including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — have all been successfully run. It’s been a productive month, and we’re now gearing up for the next exciting phase: drywall, doors, and windows.

June Construction Update – Taking Shape Inside and Out

This has been a huge month for the new Beekeeping and Pollinator Education Center. The framing is fully up, the roof is nearly complete, and the front of the building is starting to take shape. Next up: framing out the interior spaces and adding brickwork to the front and sides. At the same time, landscaping design and Apiary planning are underway — we’re thrilled to watch it all come to life right before our eyes!

May Update — Building is actually going up!

Building materials are being delivered, building concrete is being poured, curb and gutter is coming and landscaping design is getting set.

April Update — Building Site Coming to Life!

Soil removal and site preparation are underway as we get ready for construction to begin.

March Construction Update

See how we're moving forward with final permits, tree clearing, rock removal, and our exciting groundbreaking ceremony.

Exterior

Uniquely designed by our architect Mitchel Marshall, our 5,000 square-foot retail space combines affordability with a bold vision that aligns with our mission. You’ll notice design details throughout the exterior that add both charm and character, reflecting Foxhound Bee Company’s commitment to beekeepers and pollinator enthusiasts.

From the individual solitary bee bricks built into the front, the hexagon cutout, and to the striking bee swarm mural by Fitz Signs on the corner, this destination makes an impression even before you step inside.

Our outdoor space will include walkable paths where visitors can take a break and see the types of pollinators we have and the flowers and plants they visit. The outdoor teaching space also will include an outdoor pavilion where we can host both adults and kids for STEM learning and interactive way to learn more about our bees and other pollinators.

Interior

The development of the interior space mimics the exterior in its design and branding. The 5,000 square foot interior is dedicated to shopping for products dedicated to supporting our bees and products that our bees create. We can't be beekeepers without having beeswax, honey and the other products our bees produce. So we will include a variety of products sourced from our bees as well as beekeepers we partner with.

Inside will include a classroom that can comfortably host 30 adults for our classes with moveable tables so we can incorporate interactive STEM classes for students. The classroom is modled after modern classrooms and will include all the things to help facilitate education.

In addition to our classroom, Foxhound Bee Company will host an indoor observation hive so we can share how special honeybees are in a safe and comfortable way. Visitors will be able to find the queen, drones and workers through the glass. As well as see the bees travel in and out of the building as they forage.

We will also host a dedicated stainless steel room where visitors can see and participate in honey extraction and beeswax candle creation through our classes. Amongst the rest of the space will be equipment and supplies to support our beekeepers and a sitting and kids area for reading about all the bees do for us.

Location

The new retail and education center spans 1.6 acres and is all about creating a public space for beekeepers and those interested in pollinators. It’s designed to be a hands-on, engaging experience where people can learn, explore, and connect with what pollinators do for us.

The location is a big win too—it’s within 1 mile of a major interstate, so it’s super accessible. Right across the street, you’ll find an $8.5 million softball/baseball complex in Irondale that hosts tournaments and athletic events, adding energy and activity to the neighborhood.

Plus, the center sits at the foot of Ruffner Mountain, just a short walk from a trailhead leading into a sprawling 1,000-acre urban park. It’s a naturally excellent spot for anyone looking to enjoy the outdoors—whether you’re checking out the local trails or watching the buzz of pollinators in action.